
Overview
BRIDGE LIVE is a broadcast quality, low latency turnkey system for REMI, Synchronous Multi-Channel Video Contribution, Remote Collaboration, Direct to Audience Streaming, and Multi Bit Rate/Format Delivery.
Equipped with 12G-SDI I/O plus the power and flexibility to enable real time bidirectional encoding, decoding, and transcoding for critical UltraHD and HD workflows, BRIDGE LIVE is an essential part of any modern live video production toolkit. A compact and robust 1RU form factor with redundant power supplies and a 3 year warranty means peace of mind even when dealing with the most demanding applications.
Whether facilitating remote production, two-way interviews, live event streaming, synchronous multi-cam backhaul with HDR, cloud contribution, program return, confidence monitoring, collaborative production, ABR ladder profiles to hand-off for OTT packaging, BRIDGE LIVE ensures simultaneous, secure, and stable workflows whether over private lines or the public internet.
AJA and Comprimato

BRIDGE LIVE represents an exciting partnership between AJA and Comprimato, both long standing industry innovators. The merging of AJA’s hardware development and video I/O expertise with Comprimato’s transcoding and internet transport know-how means customers can expect the versatility, speed, and quality needed for that competitive edge. The unique fusion of company talent between AJA and Comprimato ensures that BRIDGE LIVE delivers the performance, reliability, and ease of use needed for critical live encode, decode, or transcode needs.
NDI Encode/Decode/Transcode
Starting with v1.12 software, BRIDGE LIVE includes support for NDI (Network Device Interface), the high quality, real time, low latency live video standard developed by NewTek. BRIDGE LIVE can support up to 4 simultaneous 60p HD encodes/decodes or 1x 30p UltraHD encode/decode to/from SDI. BRIDGE LIVE’s NDI functionality offers:
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SDI to NDI (encode)
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NDI to SDI (decode)
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IP Video Streams to NDI (transcode)
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NDI to IP Video Streams (transcode)
Used in conjunction with BRIDGE LIVE’s broad codec and protocol support, collaboration between geographically separated (remote) NDI facilities can be realized.
BRIDGE LIVE provides broad NDI product compatibility across software and hardware transmitters and receivers.

Synchronous Multi-Channel Transport

BRIDGE LIVE can take independent SDI source inputs, and maintain their synchronous relationship while transporting the content to end-point destinations.
This functionality can take place between a pair of BRIDGE LIVE units for a synchronous end-to-end SDI workflow, often referred to as SDI backhaul, or site-to-site SDI workflows.
BRIDGE LIVE’s synchronous multi-channel capability is also supported for cloud contribution, whereby a BRIDGE LIVE system can send to a cloud instance of Comprimato Live transcoder software, for delivery to various platforms / cloud services as IP video.
Furthermore, Synchronous Multi-Channel Transport can be scaled up from a single BRIDGE LIVE pair to additional BRIDGE LIVE pairs, to enable workflows where multiple BRIDGE LIVE systems can be receiving SDI and sending to multiple BRIDGE LIVE systems outputting SDI, all in synchronicity.
For end-to-end SDI workflows, HDR is also supported.
Workflow Flexibility and Interoperability
Use BRIDGE LIVE in conjunction with multiple third party systems and software to achieve your workflow requirements as they evolve. And of course, AJA’s own HELO Plus can be used for contribution or aggregation with BRIDGE LIVE.
For more details around how BRIDGE LIVE facilitates REMI, Contribution, Collaboration, Streaming, and Delivery explore BRIDGE LIVE Workflows and Compatibilities further down this page.

Metadata, HDR, Timecode and Closed Captioning Support

BRIDGE LIVE fully supports both Closed Captioning and additional metadata which is often a neglected feature set with lower cost encoding devices.
BRIDGE LIVE supports:
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MPEG-2 ancillary packet support, SMPTE 2038
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SDR/HDR Transfer Characteristics, Colorimetry, Luminance via SDI
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SCTE-35/SCTE-104 Ad insertion markers
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CEA-608/CEA-708 Closed Captioning
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Timecode
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Embedding Closed Captioning/Subtitles into H.264 SEI messages
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Metadata pass-through
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Electronic Program Guide (EPG) on input
Transport, Containers and Protocols
BRIDGE LIVE can be configured for low latency and/or high quality tasks. BRIDGE LIVE gives you the tools to move content and deliver according to your workflow needs.
BRIDGE LIVE supported Protocols:
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HLS
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RTP
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RTMP/S (output)
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SRT
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UDP
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MPTS (input)
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VSF-TR01
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ABR Ladder Profiles for delivery
BRIDGE LIVE supported Transports
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MPEG-TS
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NDI
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AVC-TS
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Fragmented MP4

Supported Encodes/Decodes

BRIDGE LIVE supports the following configurations for encoding and decoding between SDI and streaming formats as standard. Multiple streams/formats/destinations can be derived from a single SDI input.
NDI:
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8-bit or 16-bit
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4:2:2
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Up to 4 simultaneous 60p HD encodes/decodes or 1x 30p UltraHD encode/decode to/from SDI
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NDI Inputs can be received, transcoded, and output as IP Video Streams
H.265 (HEVC):
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8-bit or 10-bit
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4:2:0
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Up to 4 simultaneous 60p HD encodes/decodes or 1x 60p / 2x 30p UltraHD encode/decode to/from SDI
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SRT, RTMP and MPEG-TS protocol support
H.264 (AVC):
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8-bit or 10-bit
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4:2:0 or 4:2:2
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Up to 2 simultaneous 60p 4:2:2, 10-bit HD encodes/decodes or 1x 30p UltraHD encode/decode to/from SDI
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Up to 4 simultaneous 60p HD encodes/decodes or 1x 60p / 2x 30p UltraHD encode/decode to/from SDI
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SRT, RTMP and MPEG-TS protocol support
H.262 (MPEG-2):
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8-bit
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4:2:0
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Up to 4 simultaneous 30p/60i HD encodes/decodes or up to 2 simultaneous 60p HD encodes/decodes to/from SDI with an HQ option
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SRT, RTMP and MPEG-TS protocol support
JPEG 2000 Encode/Decode License
BRIDGE LIVE capabilities can be optionally expanded to include high quality JPEG 2000 encoding and decoding.
JPEG 2000 (TR-01)
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10-bit
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4:2:2
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Up to 4 simultaneous 60p HD encodes (80-220Mbps) or 1x 60p / 2x 30p UltraHD encode/decode (up to 800Mbs)
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SRT and MPEG-TS protocol support




Streaming - Live Direct-to-Audience
BRIDGE LIVE offers a comprehensive platform for live video streaming. Streaming support includes SRT, HLS, RTMP/S, RTP/UDP, and MPEG-TS. Using these standard protocols provides wide support for streaming services such as Twitch, YouTube Live, and Facebook Live.
BRIDGE LIVE builds upon the tried and tested approach of AJA’s HELO streaming device while including flexibility for multiple inputs, broad format, and bit rate support, as well as metadata and redundancy.
And, while streaming to CDNs for a direct-to-audience delivery, BRIDGE LIVE can simultaneously deliver different stream types to partners to re-transmit, transcode, or store.
Industry Leading Support
AJA’s technical support is recognized as among the best in the industry and is available to all AJA customers. If you need assistance with any aspect of your Bridge Live installation, configuration, operation, or encounter any technical issue, AJA Support will work with you to get up and running.
HELO products are covered by a generous three year warranty.
